A mere 60 days prior when the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, seeming perplexed as the Villa manager admonished him for failing to anticipate a through-ball. At that point, as Villa went six without a win, it wasn't clear whether Rogers' form were an indicator or a cause for Villa's broader struggles.
“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”
In the latest match, in contrast, the sideline response was entirely decidedly more positive. As Rogers curled home his second strike to restore his side's advantage, the boss discarded his jacket, opened his arms and shouted in triumph. Villa continued to a tenth straight victory , after failing to win their initial half-dozen matches, are somehow only three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.
Is This Team Genuine Title Contenders?
That’s a particularly tough question to answer. The historical record, a general sense of the club, suggests not. Furthermore, their performances haven't been completely commanding this season, while the wins have accumulated.
Per Opta, in only two games has the side had an expected goals figure significantly higher than the opposition. For a team who have put together 10 in a row, the Villans seem strangely fragile – however at the moment the tight outcomes are falling their way.
The Rogers Recipe
The current approach appears to be to exchange chances with the opposition and wait for their talisman to rescue them with some clinical strikes. This occurred away to Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more against Manchester United.
Rogers' first goal came from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from a wide position. For his second proved to be a somewhat messier replica of the opener as he seized on a setup by his strike partner.
“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”
Can It Last?
Logic says not. In the recent win, the opponents managed more efforts and more shots on target. They have won each of their last eight by a single goal. The defence has been breached in all except one of those fixtures.
Regression to the mean may well be the greatest opponent the club have to face in the near future. Rogers, surely, cannot keep on drilling the ball into the net's top corner indefinitely.
A Case for Belief
Could it be a different scenario whereby, instead of luck running out, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs could still rediscover their best form.
- Ollie Watkins may begin to adding to his goal tally.
- The winger could transform into the player he showed during his peak.
- The defensive duo are due to come back from the treatment room, fortifying an occasionally vulnerable defence.
Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.
Savoring the Moment
But then, this was unforeseen. Few believed the team would be third at Christmas. And without a doubt two months ago, few could imagine the young forward now would be leading a hunt for the title and appearing as an essential player for the national team.
This winning streak is to be savoured precisely because it appears so improbable. When the match-winner faced the home supporters at the final whistle leading the celebrations, he appeared to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These runs of form do not happen often and should be relished.
